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Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Transformers: Dark of the Moon is a 2011 American science fiction action film based on the Transformers toy line. First released on June 23, 2011, it is the third installment of the live-action Transformers film series. It is a sequel to 2009's Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen taking place three years after that. The film is also the first in the franchise without the involvement of DreamWorks, leaving the series to be produced solely by Paramount Pictures. Like its predecessors, Transformers and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Transformers: Dark of the Moon is directed by Michael Bay and executive produced by Steven Spielberg. This was the last film in the series to be owned by Takara Tomy, as Hasbro assumed ownership of the Transformers films in Japan. The film's story is set three years after the events of the 2009 film, with the Autobots, during their collaboration with the NEST (Nonbiological Extraterrestrial Species Treaty) military force, discovering a hidden alien technology in possession of humans, which had been found by Apollo 11 on the Moon 42 years earlier. However, the Decepticons unveil a plan to use the technology to enslave humanity in order to restore Cybertron, the home planet of the Transformers. Shia LaBeouf, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, and John Turturro reprised their starring roles, with Peter Cullen and Hugo Weaving returning as the voices of Optimus Prime and Megatron, and Kevin Dunn and Julie White reprising their roles as the parents of the protagonist, Sam Witwicky. English model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley replaced Megan Fox as the lead female character; the cast also saw the additions of Patrick Dempsey, John Malkovich, Ken Jeong, and Frances McDormand. The film also welcomed Keith Szarabajka, Ron Bottitta, John DiMaggio, George Coe, Francesco Quinn, James Remar, Greg Berg, and veteran science-fiction actor Leonard Nimoy to the voice cast. The script was written by Ehren Kruger, who also collaborated on the narrative of the 2009 film. Dark of the Moon employed both regular 35mm film cameras and specially-developed 3-D cameras, with filming locations in Chicago, Florida, Indiana, Milwaukee, Moscow, and Washington, D.C.. The film was rendered specifically for 3-D, and the visual effects involved more complex robots which took longer to render. In May 2011, it was announced that Paramount would move Transformers: Dark of the Moon's release date of July 1 to June 29 in order to monitor an early response to footage. Exclusive early premieres in select 3-D and IMAX theaters took place June 28, 2011, one night before worldwide release in 2-D and 3-D (including IMAX 3D) formats—each featuring Dolby Surround 7.1 sound. Critical reception of the film was mixed, with several critics calling it better than Revenge of the Fallen and praising the film's visuals and 3-D action sequences, but criticizing its writing, acting, and length. Dark of the Moon grossed US$1.12 billion worldwide, and is currently the seventh-highest-grossing film of all time, the second-highest-grossing film of 2011 (behind Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2), the highest-grossing film in the Transformers series, and the tenth film to gross over $1 billion. Like the 2007 film, it was nominated for Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Visual Effects at the 84th Academy Awards. A fourth film, Transformers: Age of Extinction also directed by Bay, was released on June 27, 2014. Plot In 1961, the Ark, a Cybertronian spacecraft carrying an invention capable of ending the war between the benevolent Autobots and the malevolent Decepticons, crash lands on the dark side of Earth's Moon. The crash is detected on Earth by NASA, and President John F. Kennedy authorizes a mission to put a man on the Moon as a cover for investigating the craft. In 1969, the crew of Apollo 11 lands on the Moon. In the present, the Autobots assist the United States military in preventing conflicts around the globe. During a mission to Chernobyl to investigate suspected alien technology, Optimus Prime finds an engine part from the Ark, discovering that it had survived its journey from Cybertron. The Autobots are attacked by Shockwave, who manages to escape. After learning of the top-secret mission to the Moon, the Autobots travel there to explore the Ark. They discover a comatose Sentinel Prime – Optimus' predecessor as leader of the Autobots – and the Pillars he created as a means of establishing a Space Bridge between two points to teleport matter. After returning to Earth, Optimus uses the energy of the Matrix of Leadership to revive Sentinel Prime. Meanwhile, Sam Witwicky is frustrated that he is unable to work with the Autobots or find a job. He also becomes envious of the close relationship between his new girlfriend, Carly Spencer, and her boss Dylan Gould. After finding work, Sam is provided information by his eccentric co-worker Jerry Wang about the Ark, before Jerry is assassinated by the Decepticon Laserbeak. Sam contacts the now-independently wealthy Seymour Simmons, and together they learn that the Decepticons and their leader, Megatron, are murdering people connected to the American and Russian space missions to the Ark. They locate two surviving Russian cosmonauts, who reveal satellite photos of hundreds of Pillars being stockpiled on the Moon. Sam realizes that the Decepticons raided the Ark long before the Autobots' mission and intentionally left Sentinel and five Pillars behind to lure the Autobots into a trap – Sentinel being the key to activating the Pillars and the Decepticons lacking the means to revive him. The Autobots rush to return Sentinel to their base for protection, but Sentinel betrays them and kills the Autobot Ironhide, revealing he had made a deal with Megatron to ensure the survival of the Cybertronian race. Sentinel uses the Pillars to transport hundreds of concealed Decepticons from the Moon to Earth. Carly is captured by Gould, who is revealed to be in the service of the Decepticons. The Autobots are exiled from Earth at the demand of the Decepticons to avoid war, but as their ship leaves Earth it is destroyed by Megatron's second-in-command, Starscream, supposedly killing the Autobots. The Decepticons, led by Megatron and Sentinel, seize Chicago as their agents place Pillars around the world. Gould reveals to Carly that the Decepticons plan to transport their home world of Cybertron to the Solar System, then to enslave humanity and use Earth's resources to rebuild their world. Sam teams with U.S. Air Force Chief Robert Epps to go into Chicago to save Carly, but they are nearly killed by Decepticon forces before the Autobots intervene, revealing they concealed themselves during the launch of their ship to convince the Decepticons they were destroyed, as well as to prove to the humans that the Decepticons were untrustworthy. Working together, the Autobots and human soldiers manage to rescue Carly and kill Laserbeak, Starscream, Soundwave, Barricade, Shockwave, and the Driller, with Optimus using Shockwave's arm-cannon to blast the Control Pillar, disabling the Space Bridge. Sam confronts Gould as he reactivates the Control Pillar, and knocks Gould into the Pillar, killing him. Bumblebee and Ratchet arrive and destroy the Control Pillar, permanently disabling the Bridge and causing the partially transported Cybertron to implode. Optimus and Sentinel fight while Carly convinces Megatron that he will be replaced as leader of the Decepticons by Sentinel. Sentinel severs Optimus' right arm, and is about to execute him when Megatron intervenes, incapacitating Sentinel. Megatron asks Optimus for a truce, having the desire to become the one in charge of the Decepticons again. Optimus refuses and attacks Megatron, decapitating him. Sentinel pleads for his life, but Optimus executes him too for betraying his own principles. With the Decepticons defeated, Carly and Sam are reunited and the Autobots accept that, with Cybertron gone for good, Earth is now their home. Cast Humans *Shia LaBeouf as Sam Witwicky, a recent college graduate who is once again tied to the fate of Earth's survival. *Rosie Huntington-Whiteley as Carly Spencer, Sam's new love interest. *Tyrese Gibson as retired U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Robert Epps, former NCOIC of the NEST strike team who now works at Kennedy Space Center. *Josh Duhamel as U.S. Army Lt. Colonel William Lennox, the Commander of the classified strike team NEST – an international taskforce battling Decepticons with the Autobots. *John Turturro as Seymour Simmons, former agent in charge of the terminated Sector 7 unit, who is now a successful professional writer. *Patrick Dempsey as Dylan Gould, a wealthy car collector and employer of Carly Spencer who is secretly in cahoots with Megatron. *Kevin Dunn as Ron Witwicky, Sam's father. *Julie White as Judy Witwicky, Sam's mother. *John Malkovich as Bruce Brazos, Sam's employer and boss at Accuretta Systems. *Frances McDormand as Charlotte Mearing, the Director of National Intelligence. *Keiko Agena as the assistant of Charlotte Mearing *Lester Speight as "Hardcore" Eddie, a former member of NEST. *Josh Kelly as Stone, a former member of NEST. *Alan Tudyk as Dutch, Agent Simmons' personal assistant. *Ken Jeong as Jerry "Deep" Wang, a paranoid software programmer at Sam's work. *Glenn Morshower as General Morshower, Director of NEST, who communicates with the squad from the Pentagon. *Buzz Aldrin appears as himself, meeting Optimus Prime at the NEST headquarters. *Bill O'Reilly appears as himself, interviewing Agent Simmons through his television program The O'Reilly Factor. *Elya Baskin as Cosmonaut Dimitri, one of the two surviving Russian cosmonauts who gives Sam information on the Moon missions. Transformers Autobots *Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime, the leader of the Autobots and keeper of the Matrix of Leadership who transforms into a Peterbilt 379 Truck. *Leonard Nimoy as Sentinel Prime, Optimus Prime's predecessor as the leader of the Autobots and Autobot traitor, who transforms into a red and black Rosenbauer Panther Fire Truck. He serves as the film's main antagonist. *Bumblebee, an Autobot scout who transforms in to a 2012 Chevrolet Camaro concept. *Jess Harnell as Ironhide, the Autobots' cantankerous weapons specialist who transforms in to a modified black GMC Topkick C4500 medium-duty truck. *Robert Foxworth as Ratchet, the Autobots' medical officer who transforms into Rescue Hummer H2. *James Remar as Sideswipe, the Autobots' combat instructor who transforms into a silver Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Concept Convertible. *Francesco Quinn as Dino/Mirage, an Autobot spy who transforms into a red Ferrari 458 Italia. This was Quinn's final role before his death shortly after the film was released. *George Coe as Que/Wheeljack, an Autobot scientist who invents gadgets, equipment, and weapons. He transforms into a blue Mercedes-Benz E550. His personality is based on Q from the James Bond franchise and his appearance is based on Albert Einstein. *Tom Kenny as Wheelie, a former Decepticon drone turned Autobot who transforms into a blue radio-controlled toy monster truck. *Reno Wilson as Brains, Wheelie's partner and a fellow former Decepticon drone who transforms into a Lenovo ThinkPad Edge laptop computer. *Ron Bottitta as Amp/Roadbuster, one of the three Wreckers. He transforms into a Hendrick Motorsports #88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet Impala. *John DiMaggio as Target/Leadfoot, the leader of the Wreckers. He transforms into a Chip Ganassi Racing #42 Target Chevrolet Impala. *Topspin, one of the three Wreckers. He transforms into a Hendrick Motorsports #48 Lowe's/Kobalt. Decepticons *Hugo Weaving as Megatron, the leader of the Decepticons who is still badly wounded from the final battle of Revenge of the Fallen and transforms into a rusty 10-wheeler Mack Titan Tank Truck. *Charlie Adler as Starscream, Megatron's second-in-command who transforms into a F-22 Raptor jet. *Frank Welker as Shockwave, a cruel and emotionless Decepticon assassin, Soundwave, the Decepticons' communication officer who transforms into a silver Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, and Barricade, a decepticon interrogator that transforms into a 2006 Saleen S281E police car. **Driller, a gigantic worm-like, multi-tentacle beast with a capability to burrowing under the ground which Shockwave has kept as a pet. *Keith Szarabajka as Laserbeak, a condor-like Decepticon who is fiercely loyal to Soundwave who frequently changes transformation modes. *Greg Berg as Igor, a deformed Decepticon who serves as a personal servant to Megatron in his exile. *Dreads **Crankcase, the leader of the Dreads who transforms into a black Chevrolet Suburban emergency vehicle. **Jimmie Wood as Crowbar, one of the members of the Dreads (archival voice over) who transforms into a black Chevrolet Suburban emergency vehicle. **Hatchet, a member of the Dreads who transforms into a black Chevrolet Suburban emergency vehicle. *A Decepticon with Scrapper's body type. *A Decepticon with Long Haul's body type. *A Decepticon with Sideways's body type. *A deep desert Decepticon with Brawl's body type. *A Decepticon with a robot mode similar to Long Haul's before scanning a green and white Waste Management, Inc garbage truck. A decepticon with the same alternate mode named Junkheap appeared in Age of Extinction. *A Decepticon transforms into a Superfund security truck seen briefly transporting the pillars. It never transforms in the film and it's entirely possible it isn't a Decepticon at all, just used by people who are allied with them; hence the Decepticon symbol. *Devcon, a quadruped Decepticon who transforms into a "Russian missile launcher": as shown in concept art. *Decepticons that share Scalpel's body type. They constantly attempt repairing Megatron's wounds from Revenge of the Fallen. One of which might resemble the real Scalpel; since his fate was not shown in Revenge of the Fallen; being only claimed destroyed by novel and comic adaptions. *Various protoforms that rested on the Moon before being brought to Earth by Sentinel Prime's space bridge. Most fought in the battle at Chicago. *Meantime, a Decepticon scorpion-like who transforms into a watch. It is used to spy on Sam by Dylan Gould and tap into his nervous system (albeit a painful sting) if he tried to tell the Autobots on their plan. *A Decepticon who transforms into a pickup truck. External links * Category:Films Category:2011 release Category:Transformers series Category:Sci-Fi Films